Radiation recovery
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Thanks for dropping in Joan. We have missed you.
Sorry about your medical and dental issues. I can relate to the dental ones. I had roots removed from 3 teeth. Brutal. Percocet was a life saver. Upper mouth looks gross minus teeth but Monday I’ll havd an impression. Missed several social events but I wasn’t going looking like this. Ugh.
Hope you feel better.
Diane
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Posted a few pics of Nana’s angels!
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Today was my five-year mammogram and breast surgeon visit. Usually, the BS walks in and says something like, "I looked at your mammogram and to me it looks perfectly normal." This time, he started with an off-the-cuff chat. I had to ask about the pictures. Well, the radiologist saw something in the other breast, something about five millimeters in size. Luckily, I was able to have a diagnostic mammo and ultrasound (first by the tech, then the radiologist) right away and, as it turns out, all is well. It seems the issue was a perfectly normal duct. I do not need any follow up, and my next mammo will be a year away.
The thing I really wanted to share was that having been through the real thing was amazingly helpful. Unlike five years ago, I did not panic or imagine a rapid decline. I understood that this anomaly was most likely perfectly treatable and I knew what the process would be like. Of course I'm thrilled that I don't have to deal with any of it, but gee whiz, knowledge is truly power.
The other thing that became very clear is that medical history is also power. Because I had had breast cancer, they squished me right into their schedule (with difficulty, according to my tech). If I had come in as a "normal" person, in the first place, I would not have had a bs appointment immediately after the mammo, and would have had to wait for my referring MD to contact me about the issue. Secondarily, I would have had to wait for a normal opening in the diagnostic mammo schedule, probably at least a month away.
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Brookside, scary but yes knowledge is power. SO happy all turned out for the good!
Had my neurology apt yesterday, speech & memory problems are from taxotere that I had. Hand tremors are essential tremors. Have been prescribed propranolol. It is a blood pressure med but works for tremors. Will see how it goes. SE is weight gain, so is my Anastrozole. Ugh. I'm having enough problems in that area. Oh well.
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Charger, Just had to pop in to mention my Mom has had Essential Tremor for 20 years. It's an interesting problem to deal with and she takes both Propranolol and another drug to try to control it. She has found over the years that when the symptoms get worse, they will change around her meds and that seems to help. They will perhaps up one of them, and decrease the other, or drop one of them entirely etc. etc. It just seems to be that your body gets used to your dose, and change is good. She also became a member of the Internationl Essential Tremor Foundation and is actually donating her brain to their research center:
https://www.essentialtremor.org/
They are non-profit, and have great info and tips etc. on-line and in their magazine/newsletter. Mom has been part of a Yale study on ET for quite a few years (10 or more I think) and they will fly out and interview her and do simple little tests, like writing or drawing circles etc. all in the hopes of identifying the progress of this disease. Of course, she's 99 now and some of her decline is most certainly due to age and not the ET.
Just wanted to pass this along in case you get to the point of wanting to study the disease. Wishing you well
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Good news Brookside and so true what a difference 5 years makes!
Charger - hate you are dealing with essential tremors on top of everything else but have to say I wish that’s what my DH had instead of Parkinson’s. So far he’s only dealing with the tremors.
Sew - wow your Mom is 99 years old! Amazing! There is a lot of research on PD too. Wish there were meds that worked for my DH. The ones he took would help but cause all kinds of other problems. Still he’s managing.
On a much lighter note my dental appointment is Monday to get an impression. I had roots removed from 3 teeth. Brutal but thank goodness for Percocet!
We babysat the twins tonight for a few hours so my son could go to a play with a friend. They seem to change daily.
Have a nice weekend everyone!
Diane
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Sew thank you so much for the link. I have some reading to do.
Hugs to all.
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Brookside,
Congrats on the good news but sorry about your scare. So glad all came out well. I have one question. If your mam was suspicious why didn’t they tell you at the time of the scan. At the facility I go to the bc survivor gets immediate results of her mammogram.
Josi
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Interesting, Josie. It's sort of the same here, only different, a mere 45-minute delay. I had a 9:00 mammo, 10:00 breast surgeon. In the time between, the radiologist filled in the surgeon, who also had an opportunity to review the films. If they'd sent me down for the diagnostic mammo right then, it would have messed up not only my planned visit with the BS, but his schedule as well. I do really like having a BS appointment right after the mammo. As Dartmouth is two hours away. I'm also happy to combine "activities." Alas, as I'm five years out and apparently just fine, in future I think I'll be seeing his nurse practitioner.
What really impressed me was that they fitted me into the diagnostic mammo/ultrasound schedule and I was able to go home knowing all was A-OK.
How are work and grandma-ing going?
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I stopped seeing my MO after 5 years and my BS as well. I see my BS’ assistant now.
I don’t leave the facility after a mammo w/o the results. I always have a diagnostic. My nerves couldn’t take waiting for the result.
Diane
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We just had three feet of new snow. This ice cave formed when the snow curled off the roof. You can't tell from the photo, but it is about 20 feet long.
An:d here it is from the outside
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Wow! That is impressive. I hope when it all comes down it's able to do so without falling inward & breaking your windows! I'm in Northern NY and we only got 5-6 inches from that same system.
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Wow, that's amazing looking. I was born in northern NY but my family moved to CA when I was 1. So of course don't remember the only winter I lived there.
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Wow Brookside! No offense I’m glad you got the snow and not us. I’m so over winter.
Diane
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Brookside, You’re lucky that they are able to coordinate all of those appointments together like that. BTW I missed seeing my breast surgeon, Radiation oncologist and gyn last year. I know that’s bad but at least I kept up with my medical oncologist.
Awesome pics of the snow . I’m glad you are safe. I worried about everyone I know that lives up east
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Our group is quiet lately. Hope everyone is doing okay.
I’m recovering from dental surgery and dealing with extreme sciatic pain. Childbirth pales by comparison. Seriously it’s excruciating. I finally made an initial visit to a natural chiropractor. He suggested exercises which I have been doing but I also have been taking pain meds. Have an appointment with my internist on Monday for routine check up so I’ll see if she has any other advice on how to manage the pain.
DH had a car wreck a few nights ago. Not his fault some low life pulled out in front of him going the opposite direction and totaled our car. He hit him so hard the seatbelt snapped. Thankfully DH is okay. Sore but could have been much worse. So now we are car shopping. Our car was the older of our 2 but we were hoping it would last until the end of the year.
This will be a busy year for family events. Black tie dinner next month honoring my brother, 2 graduations - one from HS and one from college, engagement party for my niece, her wedding in October in Savannah and a bus trip to Notre Dame for the Florida State game in November. Lots of expenses and still have to see our tax lady next week. Ugh. We’ll have to pay in...again. Hopefully won’t break the bank.
Sending pics of the twins. Babysat them yesterday. Jackson took a dive into the muddy water in the kiddie pool and loved it. James is the sweet neat nik. Always brings his dishes to me to wash. It’s so cool how completely different they are.
Have a good weekend everyone!
Diane0 -
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Growing like weeds. Mine would switch personalities every 3 months like clockwork. for 3 months one would like peanut butter the other jam, then for 1 week they would both want pb & j ( transition stage) then reverse the one that liked PB now wants jam & vice a versa. They also would do pain transference.
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Looking forward to that with them Fran. Haha.
I worry about their mother playing favorites. Jackson was born first and for now is the most talkative. She seems to favor him which my DS told her to be careful of. James is so loving and sensitive. Nothing worse than parents playing favorites. I should know it was that way in my family growing up with my brothers.
We do have a crisis situation with her because she slapped her oldest daughter who in turn told her school. They called in DHS who has made a home visit. She is on notice and has to attend parenting classes.
I understand how your children can drive you to the brink esp when you have 4 at home and you are a single mother but she is never consistent with discipline and almost always caves in. It doesn’t help this child has a father who gets her occasionally but is more interested in his CS payments. Her 4 year old daughter has a loser father she doesn’t see but does spend time with his mother who is really sweet. Then there are the boys who spend every Wed night and weekends with my son. It’s such a disjointed family with no real family atmosphere to hold on to. It’s heartbreaking.
This daughter is very angry and has zero respect for her mother. Neither does the 4 year old. I’m sure my son is aware of what happened but we haven’t said anything about it to him. I’m not sure he is aware we know. My friend who helps out a lot with the girls told me. It could mean down the road if she isn’t careful they will take her children. I’m not advocating that at all but I am concerned of course.
Sorry wandering off the reservation but am really worried about these children. She has to take control of the situation now or it will get worse.
Hope all is well with you.
Diane
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Diane,
Sorry to hear your down with the sciatica and dental surgery. The twins are so cute and getting bigger every day. That’s a shame about your sons ex. How old was her daughter? A teenager perhaps? My teenager is being very disrespectful and was having such trouble staying in school she was assigned a DJO for truency . It really upsets me but maybe it will straighten her out. I do the best I can with her but she’s hanging with the wrong crowd and is testing out her limits and our trust in her. She’s too smart for this and I certainly didn’t raise her like that
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Thanks Josie. It's troubling to say the least. I know she is overwhelmed but she has to get control of her kids. This daughter is 7. She is very smart and knows how to push your buttons. My friend and I babysat a lot when she and my son were together so I know first hand how she tests the limits.
To be fair she is a little girl who has endured so called fathers in and out of her life. No family structure. She loved my son because he disciplined her. Jennifer, the X, is inconsistent and always trying to be her friend. She has had multiple issues at school. I'm afraid the school is going to say enough is enough and not let her come back which would be devastating. It's a good school and close to where she lives plus she wants her other kids to go there. When she got in trouble at school, her fault, Jennifer always blamed the school. As parents I know we tend to defend our child but that has backfired big time. Now her 4 year old daughter is following suit.
DHS is monitoring her as they should. I know my son is too. I'm sure he is concerned about his boys in that environment. He won't fight her for total custody now but if something else happens he might.
I feel for you with your daughter. My son went through the same thing. Drinking, partying and challenging teachers at school. His dad and I were at wits end. I spent many a sleepless night and phone calls in the middle of the night were never good. Frankly idk how we survived it - but we did and you will too. I'm glad you have someone keeping an eye on her. We can do everything we can and they still get into trouble. I still think he had a guardian angel because things could have been much worse. I told him I wouldn't let him fail and I did my best to do just that.
Just do you know like you we tried everything. Begged, threatened, pleaded - you name it - to no avail. I tracked him constantly. Had all his friends phone numbers and I thought nothing of calling them or getting in the car and looking for him in the middle of the night.
So keep the faith it does get better.
Thanks dental surgery is done and sciatica is much better. Seeing my internist today. Better get better though because I'm almost out of Percocet. My oral surgeon prescribed them for me. I can see why people get addicted but fortunately I can't afford to. Haha
Found my dream car to replace the one the moron totaled last week. Has all the bells and whistles. So cool. Hate another unplanned expense but is what it is. I love the keyless ignition and sunroof.
Have a good week!
Diane
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Thanks Diane you too! And enjoy the new car!
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I’ve been busy lately and haven’t been following this thread.
I can’t believe no one has posted since March.
I guess we have all been busy with life. I hope everyone is doing ok.
Jo
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It has been too quiet Josie. I hope it is because everyone is busy.
We are busy with babysitting the twins, home projects and my brother had a black tie dinner a few weekends ago. My sister and BIL came in town for the event. It was really nice.
We have 2 graduations, an engagement party, a wedding and a out of town football trip this year. Yikes! Plus we have to pay in to IRS so we are pinching pennies!
Love my new car but a bit intimidated by all the bells and whistles. It’s hard to get used to the keyless ignition. I’m reading the manual almost daily!
Hope your newest grandchild is doing ok Josie. Such a blessing.
My DS took his rugby team to Kansas City. He and another coach drove vans - 8 hours! Tornado watch going and it snowed coming back. They had fun though and he so loves coaching the team.
So all you MIAs please post and let us know you are doing okay.
Raining here. Planted flowers last weekend and mowed the lawns. Weather seems to change daily.
Oh and congrats to my Notre Dame girls basketball team - National Champions! Wow!
Diane
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Those little guys love to swing with grandpa!
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busy is an understatement.
Bodyshop bailed & gave us our car back to us in a zillion pieces unfinished after we paid him good money to do it. Been sanding & painting parts, identifying parts as we didn't take it apart but have to put it back together.
Daughter 2 have a growth??? in her uterus, Drs dragging their feet for months now.
Daughter 3 is having worse digestion problems, they may put a stent into her sphincter of odi where gall bladder used to be. Problem is only 1 Dr that does it. Jackass!!! Turban Turd actually told us that even an end stage 4 patient does not need pain killers it is all in your mind!!!!!!!!! She is also in court tomorrow regarding x's visitation with James. He is a redneck I do what I want attitude. He breached the court order the very next day for his first visit. He's not going to know what hit him YOU DON'T piss off the judge. He also lied in his affidavit saying he gets James 6 days when he only gets him Fri to Sun every 3 weeks, then he tells the truth in his next affidavit. Poor James is an emotional wreck, crying, not sleeping, or eating, puking. He has no bond with his father & hates him. He is treated like an outsider, bullied & made fun of when he visits him. Left alone in the basement for hours . etc etc. The ex is usually upstairs drinking with friends, etc etc.
For those of you who don't understand the car here are a few pictures.
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Dang Fran. What the heck with the car? Like a jigsaw puzzle. Ugh.
So sorry your daughters are having medical issues and poor James. The kids always pay the price when a parent is a moron. I don’t blame you/daughter I would go after him with a vengeance. I’ve been in an X situation before but it was husband’s X. Constant turmoil with her. She was all about $ and nothing else.
No pain meds even for Stage 4 patients? Seriously? How would he know the pain they are experiencing? Or your daughter? Talk about insensitive.
Diane
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